"Nothing," said Paul. "We're much obliged to you for coming." "I came as soon as I heard you call. Oh, you're the fellows with the big auto; aren't you?" he went on, as he came close and made out the faces of the three in the starlight. "That's us," said Dick. "I guess we might as well go on, boys," he added to his chums. "I want some arnica for this bump I got." "Which way did the men go?" the watchman wanted to know, and when the boys had indicated it, and had themselves started to go in the same direction, to reach the garage where the _Last Word_ was waiting for them, the watchman went on: "Aren't you afraid they'll tackle you again? They may be waiting down the road for you." Dick shook his head. "They found out we didn't have what they wanted," he remarked, "and they won't bother us any more. Come on, boys." "Huh! Queer robbers," observed the watchman, and he turned away after the boys had thanked him for his prompt response to their calls for help. "Do you really think those men were after the papers, Dick?" asked Paul. "I'm sure of it," answered his friend. "It was all part of the game Uncle Ezra is playing, but I'm getting tired of it. This is the limit! It's got to stop!" "Are you going to tell him so?" asked Innis, as they walked along. "No, but I'm going to make a change in our plans. We'll fool 'em--we'll get off the beaten track and go off into the unknown until we put plenty of space behind us. Then they'll have their own troubles tracing us." "That does seem the best way," assented Paul. "It's no fun to be on the verge of an attack at any time. The game is too one-sided. We'll make it harder for them." "That's my idea," said Dick, as they neared the garage, having seen no further signs of the three men. They found the big car undisturbed, with Grit ready to give them a noisy welcome. "I wish we'd had you along a while ago, old fellow," remarked Dick, as he patted his dog. "I guess those fellows wouldn't have been quite so fresh. But maybe it's just as well as it is, for I wouldn't want any of them chewed up." "How do you figure it out?" asked Paul, as they got themselves a little lunch before turning in. "Why, Uncle Ezra, or whoever he's hired to turn this trick, knew where we would be at a certain day, I suppose," said Dick. "The men were on the watch, and, when we arrived, they just kept tabs on us. The rest was easy enough." "Only you didn't happen to carry the papers with you," added Innis. "No, it was a good trick to leave 'em here," assented our hero, as he looked in the advertising envelope behind the mirror, to make sure that the documents were safe. "Well, they won't try it on again in a hurry. In the morning we'll figure out a new route that will bring us to 'Frisco in time to file the papers."